GlacialPower GP-AL650AA 650 W Power Supply Review
Load Tests
Contents
We conducted several tests with this power supply, as described in the article Hardware Secrets Power Supply Test Methodology.
First we tested this power supply with five different load patterns, trying to pull around 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of its labeled maximum capacity (actual percentage used listed under “% Max Load”), watching how the reviewed unit behaved under each load. In the table below we list the load patterns we used and the results for each load.
For the 100% load test we used two patterns. The first one, test number five, we respected the limits printed on the power supply label (504 W maximum for the +12 V outputs). To achieve this pattern, however, we had to configure the +12 V outputs with a current lower than we wanted, and increase current on +5 V and +3.3 V outputs to a value higher than we wanted. After testing the power supply with this pattern, we configured our load tester with the pattern described below as test six, increasing current on +12 V outputs and lowering current on +5 V and +3.3 V outputs, which is the standard we use on our tests.
+12V1 and +12V2 are the two inputs from our load tester and during our test they were connected on the power supply +12V1 and +12V2 rails, respectively.
| Input | Test 1 | Test 2 | Test 3 | Test 4 | Test 5 | Test 6 |
| +12V1 | 5 A (60 W) | 10 A (120 W) | 14 A (168 W) | 19 A (228 W) | 21 A (252 W) | 26.5 A (318 W) |
| +12V2 | 4.5 A (54 W) | 10 A (120 W) | 14 A (168 W) | 19 A (228 W) | 21 A (252 W) | 22 A (264 W) |
| +5V | 1 A (5 W) | 2 A (10 W) | 4 A (20 W) | 5 A (25 W) | 16 A (80 W) | 6 A (30 W) |
| +3.3 V | 1 A (3.3 W) | 2 A (6.6 W) | 4 A (13.2 W) | 5 A (16.5 W) | 15 A (49.5 W) | 6 A (19.8 W) |
| +5VSB | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1.5 A (7.5 W) | 2 A (10 W) | 2.5 A (12.5 W) | 2.5 A (12.5 W) |
| -12 V | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) |
| Total | 138.1 W | 265.0 W | 378.0 W | 500.0 W | 645.0 W | 630.0 W |
| % Max Load | 21.2% | 40.8% | 58.2% | 76.9% | 99.2% | 96.9% |
| Room Temp. | 46.0° C | 45.8° C | 45.9° C | 45.2° C | 48.4° C | 47.1° C |
| PSU Temp. | 46.7° C | 46.3° C | 46.6° C | 45.2° C | 48.5° C | 48.3° C |
| Voltage Stability | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Ripple and Noise | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| AC Power | 155 W | 293 W | 426 W | 575 W | 778 W | 755 |
| Efficiency | 89.1% | 90.4% | 88.7% | 87.0% | 82.9% | 83.4% |
| Final Result | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
GlacialPower GP-AL650AA achieved an outstanding efficiency when we pulled up to 80% of its labeled power (520 W): between 87% and 90.4%. In fact this is one of the few power supplies that during our tests achieved over 90% efficiency. The problem, however, is that when delivering 650 W efficiency drops a lot, to 83%, but still above 80%.
Noise and ripple were at very good levels. During test number five we saw 63.8 mV at +12V1, 66.4 mV at +12V2, 25.2 mV at +5 V and 39 mV at +3.3 V. The maximum allowed values are 120 mV for the +12 V outputs and 50 mV for the +5 V and +3.3 V outputs. Ideally, however, the power supply should achieve only half of this, so the only point where GlacialPower could improve is the noise level on +3.3 V output, even though it is below the maximum allowed. All values are peak-to-peak.
Figure 13: Noise level at +12V1 during test five (63.8 mV).
Figure 14: Noise level at +12V2 during test five (66.4 mV).
Figure 15: Noise level at +5 V during test five (25.2 mV).
Figure 16: Noise level at +3.3 V during test five (39 mV).
Now let’s see if we can pull even more power from GP-AL650AA.